I was diagnosed with ADHD (inattentive) when I was a senior in college. My oldest son was diagnosed a year ago, when he was in first grade.
I began to suspect my son might have it when he was frustrated at learning to read—especially when he reported that distractions in the classroom (such as a new pencil sharpener) were making it difficult for him to focus. At home, I noticed that he was much more effective—and self-confident—when he did his reading in our basement den, away from his younger siblings and other distractions.
We took him to a prominent local child psychologist, who spent a few hours with us—first with me, going over my observations, his history, family, etc.; then with him alone. A few weeks later, we received a ~10-page report with his assessment, which included results from a battery of tests he had done with my son, concluding with a diagnosis of ADHD. Based on this, our pediatrician had us try a couple of different stimulants, and we've landed on Vyvanse as the best combination of convenience and efficacy. The difference has been staggering—not only with his progress at school, but most importantly, his self-confidence has risen remarkably.
I haven't read it, but the title of one ADHD book—"You Mean I'm Not Lazy, Stupid or Crazy?!"—has stuck with me. Growing up with undiagnosed ADHD, I often felt that I was simply inadequate, or not trying hard enough. Of course, personal responsibility still plays a role, but I now understand more what's going on.
Medication has markedly improved my life as well. But I think being diagnosed in early adulthood meant that I still had to deal with years of bad habits, self-esteem issues, perception by family and friends, transcripts filled with bad-to-mediocre grades...
Both my son and I present the inattentive side of ADHD more than the hyperactive side, but I suspect the results would be similar.
Getting my son's diagnosis started with his pediatrician, who recommended the child psychologist. I'd suggest starting there.
BTW, the reason I think my son was diagnosed earlier is due to the curriculum: it's simply more challenging at an early age than what I remember. I was able to coast on intelligence alone until I was a teenager, when I finally had schoolwork that required sustained concentration. My son was being asked to read books in first grade that I probably didn't read until second grade—and there wasn't nearly the systematic focus on it. My suspicion is that the increased diagnoses of ADHD is due in large part to this—it's always been prevalent, but has been less of a burden in the past (career options, too—so many ADHD-compatible jobs are getting automated away).
I began to suspect my son might have it when he was frustrated at learning to read—especially when he reported that distractions in the classroom (such as a new pencil sharpener) were making it difficult for him to focus. At home, I noticed that he was much more effective—and self-confident—when he did his reading in our basement den, away from his younger siblings and other distractions.
We took him to a prominent local child psychologist, who spent a few hours with us—first with me, going over my observations, his history, family, etc.; then with him alone. A few weeks later, we received a ~10-page report with his assessment, which included results from a battery of tests he had done with my son, concluding with a diagnosis of ADHD. Based on this, our pediatrician had us try a couple of different stimulants, and we've landed on Vyvanse as the best combination of convenience and efficacy. The difference has been staggering—not only with his progress at school, but most importantly, his self-confidence has risen remarkably.
I haven't read it, but the title of one ADHD book—"You Mean I'm Not Lazy, Stupid or Crazy?!"—has stuck with me. Growing up with undiagnosed ADHD, I often felt that I was simply inadequate, or not trying hard enough. Of course, personal responsibility still plays a role, but I now understand more what's going on.
Medication has markedly improved my life as well. But I think being diagnosed in early adulthood meant that I still had to deal with years of bad habits, self-esteem issues, perception by family and friends, transcripts filled with bad-to-mediocre grades...
Both my son and I present the inattentive side of ADHD more than the hyperactive side, but I suspect the results would be similar.
Getting my son's diagnosis started with his pediatrician, who recommended the child psychologist. I'd suggest starting there.
BTW, the reason I think my son was diagnosed earlier is due to the curriculum: it's simply more challenging at an early age than what I remember. I was able to coast on intelligence alone until I was a teenager, when I finally had schoolwork that required sustained concentration. My son was being asked to read books in first grade that I probably didn't read until second grade—and there wasn't nearly the systematic focus on it. My suspicion is that the increased diagnoses of ADHD is due in large part to this—it's always been prevalent, but has been less of a burden in the past (career options, too—so many ADHD-compatible jobs are getting automated away).